


Mourn

by Cephy



Category: Last Remnant
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Comfort, First Kiss, M/M, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-07
Updated: 2010-03-07
Packaged: 2017-10-08 13:14:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cephy/pseuds/Cephy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even a Marquis needs a friendly shoulder, sometimes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mourn

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for the end of the first disc!

When Dave vanished again, Rush didn't even hesitate before going after him. Except that Dave wasn't in the gardens this time-- too easy, he'd already been caught there once-- so Rush was left wandering the likeliest places in the castle and eventually wondering how he should go about getting into the Marquis' own chambers.

Which turned out to be easy, actually. There was a guard at the end of the hall, but she just looked at Rush and nodded as he walked by. He wondered if one of the Generals had had a word with the staff.

When he opened the door it was to find Dave just standing by the window, looking-- looking kind of lost, actually, though he put on a good face when Rush cleared his throat and drew the man's attention. His eyes were still not quite _there_, though, something distant and aching hanging on in them.

"Rush," Dave greeted, straightening.

"Hey," Rush said softly, "you okay?"

"Of course," Dave said easily, stepping away from the window and conveniently turning himself away from Rush in the process. "Was there something you needed?"

Rush winced. That was the Marquis talking, not Dave, and he knew it. And yeah, he understood that _the Marquis_ needed to be able to keep himself under control no matter what happened, but it wasn't like there was anyone there to impress just then. And underneath the Marquis was _Dave_, who needed to be able to grieve for the incredible woman who'd just died.

So before Dave could withdraw entirely, Rush walked right up and wrapped both arms around him, firmly enough that Dave wouldn't be able to shake him off unless he really tried. And sure enough, Dave kind of quivered in place at first, like he was thinking about trying to pull away. He stayed tense for long enough that Rush was starting to think he'd made a mistake, after all, but then Dave just relaxed all over, leaning into Rush with a different kind of shiver.

He didn't cry; Rush's shoulder stayed dry. But he stood there with his eyes closed and his breathing gone kind of uneven, and Rush did his best to just-- be there. Holding on like he remembered his mother doing after a nightmare, not that he was really thinking of his mother just then, because that would have been kind of weird given how nice it felt to have Dave's warmth pressed in against him neck to knee. And it was really not the time to be noticing things like that, even though it seemed he couldn't really help it.

No, just-- being there, right, because that's what good friends did when you needed comfort and wouldn't admit to it. They sat you down and made sure that you got what you needed and that you knew you weren't alone. So Rush rocked them back and forth a little, holding on, and eventually the last of the tension drained out of Dave's shoulders.

Dave drew a steady breath and sighed it back out; Rush only just managed not to shiver at the tickle of air on his throat. "Thank you," Dave murmured, shifting again-- and it was Rush, this time, who was taken off guard as Dave's head came up just enough that he could press a light kiss to the corner of Rush's mouth.

Too startled to respond-- especially since he'd been trying _so hard_ not to think those thoughts, and therefore wondered for a second if he was imagining the whole thing-- Rush froze in place for long enough that Dave started to pull stiffly away. "Forgive me," he said, not quite meeting Rush's eyes. "I presumed too much."

"No," Rush said quickly, following when Dave made to step back. "No, hey." He gave a shamefaced little grin and shrug, not looking away from Dave's eyes-- which weren't so empty anymore, thank goodness, although they could go back that way if he didn't manage to say the right thing, and fast-- "Really, I didn't mind. I just-- you startled me a bit?"

Dave looked at him, long and serious. Then he tipped his head and, with deliberate slowness, never breaking gaze, he leaned in again. This time Rush managed to meet him halfway.

Dave's eyes were closed when he pulled back, and he took another one of those deep, steadying breaths before he opened them again. And though it was the Marquis who was looking out of those eyes, the role pulled on like he'd strap on the eyepiece to the Gae Bolg, there was a bit of Dave still in there, too. And that bit was saying quite clearly _we'll discuss this later_, complete with accent, even while he was turning away in a clear request for privacy.

Rush let himself out, nodding to the guard as he aimed for his own room. Once safely inside, he let himself lean back against the door for a minute while he closed his eyes and eventually made his insides stop quivering. Then, pulling on his own game face, he went over to the pile of his gear in the corner and began grimly digging through it for the pieces he'd need to rescue his sister.


End file.
